Explore establishing a centralized grant and funding information platform. This platform could gather internal and external funding opportunities, provide access to resources, and promote community engagement. The platform could also foster collective empowerment, prosperity, and sustainability within the small scale food processor industry.

Accessing grants and funding opportunities is pivotal for the growth and sustenance of the small scale food processor industry. However, the scattered nature of available resources across multiple platforms may pose challenges for processors in identifying and accessing relevant funding. To alleviate these barriers and foster a conducive environment for industry growth, establishing a centralized depository website or platform may be beneficial for small scale food processors. This platform could serve as a comprehensive resource hub, consolidating information on both internal programs offered by the BC Ministry of Agriculture and Food and external funding opportunities from various external program providers. By centralizing this information, processors could streamline their search process, optimize resource allocation, and enhance their prospects of securing essential funding for their projects and initiatives.

Explore developing comprehensive grant programs focused on equipment acquisition and scaling initiatives. These programs could offer targeted funding support, technical assistance, and incentives for innovation and sustainability.

Small Scale Processors often face significant challenges when it comes to scaling their operations, particularly in acquiring the necessary equipment and infrastructure to meet growing demand and expand market reach. To address these challenges and unlock the full potential of small scale food processors, the development of comprehensive grant programs, specifically tailored to support equipment acquisition and scaling initiatives may be beneficial for small scale food processors.

Explore developing a financial literacy program tailored to the small scale food processors specific needs. The program may provide the essential skills to empower processors to better manage their finances, possibly contributing to the sustainability of BC’s small scale food processing industry.

Many processors indicate they face challenges in managing their businesses due to limited financial skills. This lack of knowledge appears to affect budgeting, forecasting, and decision-making.

Explore establishing a Food Science Support Program that may offer expert consultation, technical assistance, and resources to assist processors in product development, quality assurance, and regulatory compliance. The program may empower processors to innovate, improve product quality, and thrive in a competitive marketplace.

Ground truthing suggest small scale food and beverage processors in British Columbia face numerous challenges with product development, shelf life, cost effective formulation, and quality assurance. Access to expert guidance and support from food scientists may play a role in overcoming these challenges and ensuring the success and competitiveness of their products in the market.

Explore how a training program focused on equipping processors with the knowledge and skills needed to effectively promote and sell their products may benefit small scale food processors.

Ground truthing suggests many small scale processors face challenges in knowing how to effectively market and sell their products to consumers, retailers, and distributors. A sales and marketing training program tailored specifically to their needs may provide the skills and knowledge they need to better market and sell their products.

Explore a program that may equip small scale food processors with the knowledge, skills, and resources needed to reduce costs, improve efficiency, and scale their businesses effectively. Providing guidance, training, and expert consultation may provide small scale food processors with the skills necessary to create a resilient and thriving businesses within the small scale food and beverage sector.

Ground truthing suggests small scale food processors lack knowledge and skills on how to reduce costs, optimizing efficiency, and scaling their businesses to meet growing demand and expand market reach. To address these needs and support the long-term success and sustainability of small scale food processors, the implementation of a comprehensive program focused on ingredient/material and process efficiency cost reduction strategies and techniques, as well as business scaling strategies tailored specifically to their needs may be beneficial.

The Lean for Food and Beverage Processors Program is a great offering for some food processing businesses. However, this program may not provide the more basic skills needed for small scale processors who may be in the initial years of business or who do not qualify for the Lean program.

Explore providing food safety mentoring, training, financial assistance, and ongoing support for small scale food processors that may assist them in achieving and maintaining food safety certifications. This may also enhance their market competitiveness, reach, and safeguard public health.

Many processors appear to face challenges in navigating and understanding the complexities of food safety certification processes and the associated costs with these certifications. To address this possible gap and support small scale processors in achieving and maintaining food safety certifications, creating an assistance program may be beneficial to small scale food processors.

The Export Navigator program offers support in this area for small scale processors. Funding, timing, and eligibility may present challenges for interested processors. Explore how an Export Assistance program may provide guidance, resources, and support to processors wanting to enter national and international markets. By equipping processors with the knowledge, skills, and tools needed to navigate export processes regulatory requirements effectively, small scale food processors could potentially scale their businesses. The writer recommends additional support to promote external program offerings such as Export Navigator and other targeted programs offered by the Small Scale Food Processor Association and industry.

Many processors appear to face challenges with understanding the intricacies of exporting out of province, including accessing markets, navigating regulatory requirements, and understanding export processes. Exploring an Export Assistance program, tailored specifically to the needs of small scale food processors may be beneficial for processors within the province.

Explore how a comprehensive labour attraction, retention, and employee motivation program may benefit small scale food processors in the sector. Providing guidance, resources, and support to small scale food processors in recruiting, retaining, and motivating their workforce, may enable them to overcome existing labour challenges and drive sustainable growth and success within the businesses.

Participants from the Program indicate they are facing significant challenges in attracting, retaining, and motivating skilled labour amidst the ongoing labour shortage and increasing competition for talent across industries in the province. To address these workforce challenges and support the long-term success and sustainability of small scale processors, implementation of a comprehensive program focused on labour attraction, retention, and employee motivation may be beneficial for small scale food processers.

BC Food Connection does offer support with co-packer listings. However, most small scale processors indicated they are still having difficulty sourcing co-packers who have capacity either through BC Food Connection or through trying to source co-packing capacity on their own. Exploration of a Co-Packing Assistance program to provide guidance, support, and incentives for processors seeking to collaborate with co-packing facilities may be beneficial for the small scale food processor sector. Facilitating access to co-packing resources, promoting industry collaboration, and overcoming barriers to market expansion may empower small scale processors to scale their production, enhance their competitiveness, and achieve long-term success within the food and beverage sector.

With limited or no access to co-packing services, small scale processors may be struggling with options to scale production, meet fluctuating demand, and diversify their product lines. This limited co-packer capacity may be limiting the small scale food processors ability to produce goods efficiently and cost-effectively, which may also impact their competitiveness and growth prospects within the food and beverage processing sector.